Among optical waveguides which optically connect optical devices to one another, the optical waveguides for optical-path deflection are used as optical-path deflection elements in electro-optic hybrid circuit boards, etc.
Processes for producing such an optical-path deflection element which have been proposed include, for example, a method in which a blade having a tip with an inclined plane is used to conduct cutting while applying the blade perpendicularly to the optical waveguide to thereby form in the optical waveguide an inclined end face serving as a micromirror (see, for example, patent document 1).
Patent Document 1: JP-A-10-300961
However, in the method described in patent document 1, the inclined end face serving as a micromirror for each of optical paths disposed parallel to one another is linearly formed along the direction perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the optical paths, because cutting with the blade having a tip with an inclined plane is conducted while applying the blade perpendicularly to the optical waveguide. Namely, a micromirror for optical-path deflection is formed in each of the optical paths in the same position in the lengthwise direction for the optical paths. The conventional method hence has a drawback that it cannot be used to form micromirrors, in accordance with respective optical paths, at different positions in the lengthwise direction of the optical paths.